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Mind-blowing Toy Stores in Tokyo

Expect the unexpected if you’re traveling to Tokyo. Somewhere in its massive shopping areas and bright cities are toy stores that will amaze your children or shake up the inner child in you. You’ll also notice that toys in Japan do not only delight people but also reflect their colorful culture, from rare action figures to the cutest plush toys. Here are some of the best Japanese toy stores you can spot in Tokyo:

 

Pokémon Center Tokyo

2-11-2 Nihonbashi, Nihonbashi Takashimaya SC East Building, 5th Floor, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 103-0027

Tooykrub via Shutterstock

Pokémon already earned its distinction as the most popular and most followed series in Japan and worldwide. It’s not a surprise that the biggest Pokémon Center in Japan opened in Tokyo, and it is called Pokémon Center DX. It sells almost all types of Pokémon item you can think of. 

Your favorite Pokémon characters have a squishy stuffed version, a figurine version, and other forms of merchandise. You will also find characters like Pikachu dressed in an old firefighter uniform or a traditional Japanese outfit called hakama. You’ll also find wooden boxes with toothpicks, stationery sets, brush boxes, and notebooks in the store. 

You can buy and bring home Pokémon corn flavored snacks, Pokémon instant curry, and Pikachu instant noodles. But if you are really hungry, there is a Pokémon Café inside! You can order meals, desserts, and drinks adorned by all things Pokémon.

 

 

Village Vanguard

Japan, 150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 23−3

chinnian via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Make sure you have enough time if you’re dropping by Village Vanguard. It is a general store that is filled with hundreds, maybe thousands, of unique and interesting items. Both parents and children can enjoy here. Aside from animation figures, stones, and iPhone cases, Village Vanguard also sells clothes and kitchen goods. The store displays a giant Chupa Chups lollipop which has a dozen Chupa Chups inside. For souvenirs, you can bring home towels wrapped like sushi rolls and rice-ball bento boxes, cosmetic pouches that look like a basket full of bread, and Ghibli goods.

 

 

Hakuhinkan Toy Park

8 Chome-8-11 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan

albedo20 via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Can you imagine over 200,000 different toys and items in one place? With five floors of amazing finds, Hakuhinkan Toy Park is the dream of every child and child at heart. If you are having a party, the first floor is your destination because it has fun and colorful party goodies. The second floor will melt your heart with its 15,000 plushies. Mini-cars, trains, and wooden toys await younger kids on the third floor. If you’re a gamer, you can go straight to the fourth floor for the card games, video games, and board games. Be mesmerized by the different types of dolls on the basement floor.

 

 

Yamashiroya Toy Store

6 Chome-14-6 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan

Staffan Asami via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Exploring the Yamashiroya Toy Store is like setting foot on a whole other planet. You will be welcomed by toy capsule vending machines standing like guards by the entrance. With seven floors of toys and games, Yamashiroya Toy Store is the ultimate haven for those who are into collectibles and international brands of toys. The store features pro models, anime characters, and impressive collections of Starwars, Doraemon, Pokémon, Barbie, and Lego. 

You will see Studio Ghibli and Disney in the basement. Accessories take up Level 1 while Naruto and Dragonball await you at Level 2. The third floor is for puzzle fans and the fourth is for kids who love Tomica and Anpanman. The fifth level is for hobby enthusiasts. Level 6 is a flexible space, customized for what is currently trending at the time of your visit. Level 7 is where events are held.

 

 

Yodobashi Camera! 

4-10-10, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0005, Japan

Carlos Duarte Do Nascimento via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Yodobashi Camera! is one of the largest electronics shops in Tokyo. It is a heaven for gadget enthusiasts. Standing as a complex building with nine floors open to customers, Yodobashi Camera has everything the techie in you need, from cameras and cellphones to video games and action figures. You’ll find car and bicycle parts, DVDs, and tools. There is also a section for apparel, groceries, and health and beauty.  

The first floor is all about cell phones, phone accessories, tablets, and memory counter. If you are buying a computer, go to the second floor because it has PC parts, software, printers, and fax machines. Photographers and aspiring ones will fall in love with the third floor as it has all types of digital cameras, film cameras, and video cameras. The rest of the establishment has audio-visual goods, kitchen items, instruments, and games.

 

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